"The FDA will approve vaccines for high-risk persons and, at the same time, demand robust, gold-standard data on persons at low risk," the agency said in an article published by The New England Journal of Medicine, authored by FDA Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary and his new top vaccines official, Dr. Vinay Prasad.

Data shows around 300 deaths a week in mid-April as the FDA rolls out more-stringent vaccine approval rules.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlines reasons for U.S. withdrawal from WHO, highlighting failures in COVID-19 response and China's influence on the organization.

India has remained largely unaffected by the recent surge in Covid cases, with the government maintaining that the situation is under control.

As COVID-19 cases rise in Southeast Asia, India is also experiencing a slight increase in infections, with current active cases at 257. Health officials report that most infections are mild and hospitalisations are not needed.